End-opening container



May 18, 1965 J. D. RIDGEWAY, JR

END-OPENING CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 22, 1964 FigA.

May 18, 1965 .1.13. RIDGEWAY, JR 3,184,138

END-OPENING CONTAINER Filed April 22, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JOHN D. RmsswAY, JR.

United States Patent O SAS/LBS ENE-@PENENG CONTANER John D. Ridgeway, Er., Miiwaukee, Wis., assigner to inland Container Corporation, Indianapolis, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Filed Apr. 22., 1964, Ser. No. 361,684 9 Claims. (Cl. 229-17) This invention relates generally to corrugated tiberboard boxes of the telescope type, and more particularly to a telescope box having provisions for easily opening and reclosing the end of the box to facilitate access to the contents thereof and yet provide protection for contents remaining in the box.

Telescope boxes are well known and frequently used for shipping commodities which need extra protection at the sides and ends. Such commodities include paper, books, sheet advertising material, pictures, for example. Such boxes may be furnished to paper mills for use in packing and shipping sheets of printing paper which are sold in reams to printing supply houses.

Usually, printing houses store these boxes of paper in racks. However, to remove paper from the conventional boxes, it is necessary to pull the box out of the rack, remove the top, remove the amount of paper which is needed, and replace the top and return the box to the rack.

A box having an end which could be opened to remove the desired number of sheets of paper would, therefore, greatly reduce the number of steps required, and could minimize the inconvenience caused by conventional telescope boxes. However, while end-opening telescope boxes are known, they have deliciencies such as weakness of the end which can be opened, inadequate protection of the box contents once the box has been opened, and difficulty in keeping the box closed after removing a portion of the contents.

It is, therefore, a general object of the present invention to provide an improved end-opening telescope box.

A further object is to provide an end-opening telescope box of sturdy and reliable construction, not only at the permanently closed sides and ends, but also at the end which can be opened.

A still further object is to provide a box which can be easily opened when desired, and yet will continue to protect the contents even after the box has been opened.

A still further object is to provide a box wherein the end which has been opened can be conveniently and securely reclosed after opening.

A still further object is to provide a box having the foregoing characteristics and which is easily manufactured and set up.

Described brieily, a typical embodiment of the present invention includes a body having an end panel with a score thereacross which defines a door in the end panel Y which is swingable downwardly and outwardly to permit access to the interior of the body through the end. A cover is telescopically received on the body and has a portion of one end thereof constructed such that by pulling a tape, a door is formed therein which overlies the door portion of the body. The door in the cover can be swung outwardly to accommodate the outward swinging of the door of the body which permits access to the interior of the box. Both doors can be reclosed and the ears on the body door frictionally engage the inner surfaces of the cover and the side Walls of the body to retain the body door closed. The cover door is also arranged to assist in keeping the body door closed.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

'lddd Patented May i8, l

FIG. l is a plan view of a blank which, when set up, forms the cover of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective View showing the outer corner detail of a cover when set up from a blank such as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view like FIG. 2 but illustrating the endopening door portion of the cover in the open condition.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the blank which, when set up, forms the body of the typical embodiment of the present invention, a portion of the blank being broken away in FIG. 4 as was done in FIG. 1, to conserve space in the drawing.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing the outside corner details of the box body when set up from a blank such as shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a view like FIG. 5 but showing the end-opening door portion of the body in an open condition.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the assembly of the box body and cover and showing the end doors opened to provide access to the stack of paper contained in the box.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of a blank used to form the cover of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing the outside corner details of a cover which is formed when the blank of FIG. 8 is set up.

FIG. 10 is a view like FIG. 9 but showing the door portion of the cover in an open condition.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and particularly FIG. 1 thereof, the blank includes a central panel il, the side-forming panels 12 and 13, the end-forming panels 14 and 16, the rear end flaps 17 and 18, and the front end flaps 19 and 21. These various portions are made of an integral unit of containerboard and suitable score lines (shown in dotted outline) are provided to facilitate folding for setting up the cover. The dotted lines 22 and 23 represent lateral edges of a strip of tear tape on the reverse side of the end panel i6 and flaps 19 and 21. This is a strong narrow plastic tape, the purpose of which will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In ap 19, there is a cut which includes the straight portion 24 and the straight potrion 26, and a portion 27 colinear with the score line 2S. The cut portions 24 and 25 and a portion 23a of the score 2S together with a portion of the marginal edge 3l, define an ear 29 in the flap i9. Except for the narrow bridging strip 32 between the major portion of the flap 19 and the ear 29, the ear is distinct from the flap.

Additional cuts 33 and 3d are provided in the end panel i6 and extend from the cut 27 and, together with the cut 27, dene three margins of a tab 36 in the end panel 16. it is to be noted that the tape on the reverse side of the panel lo lies directly behind the tab 36 and is adhesively attached thereto. A score may also be provided along the end panel i6 behind the tear tape, to facilitate tearing through the end panel for opening the container end as will be described, but this score is not necessary and is ordinarily not provided.

The construction at the opposite end of the end panel T16 and in the flap 2l is identical to that which has just been described.

When the cover is set up, and the llaps are secured to the outside surfaces of the side panels, the construction of the corners at the opposite ends of the end panel le will be as shown in FIG. 2. In this example, the aps are secured to the sides by stapling, although they could be glued, if desired. It is to be noted, however, that the ear 29 is not positively attached to the side panel by a J itaple, nor can it be glued to the side panel if gluing is lsed. The tear tape 25 is now inside the cover.

To open the end of the cover, it is necessary only to null the tab 36 outwardly and then in the direction of :he arrow 37 which rips the end panel 16 along a line Jetween the tab 36 and the tab at the opposite end thereof. Then, upon ripping the bridging strip 32, which can :asily be done, the door portion 16a of the end panel can Je opened outwardly to a position suchV as shown in FIG. 3. The score line 38 between the top panel 1l and the door 16a forms a hinge for the d-oor 16a.

y Referring now to FIG. 4, the blank has a central panel 59, side panels 41 and 42, rear end panel 43 and front and panel 44. The rear end panel has side flaps 46 and 47 thereon and the front end panel has side aps 48 and 49 thereon. Score lines are shown by the dotted outlines, and all except the score line 51 are on the upper face of the blank whereas the score line 51 is on the reverse face of the blank, it being a reverse score. An :ar 52 forms a part of the ap 49 and is defined by :he score line 53, and the cut portions 54, Se, and 57.

The cut 57 extends to a point 58 adjacent the marginal Y edge 59 of the flap leaving a narrow bridging strip 6l as the only integral connection between the flap 49 and the ear 52 thereof. An identical ear 62 is formed in the ap 48 in the same way.

When the blank of FIG. 4 is set up to form the box Jody, the various aps are secured to the ouside faces of the sides 41 and 42, and, as is the case with the cover, the attachment is preferably done by stitching or stapling. The outside corner detail at either end of the front panel appears as shown in FIG. 5. The reverse score 51 is on the exterior surface of the body, and divides the end panel 44 into a support portion 44s and door portion 44d. The bridging portion 61 retaining the ear 52 in connection with the flap 49 can be easily broken, when desired, to allow the door portion 44d to swing downwardly and outwardly as shown in FIG. 6 to provide access to the interior of the body through the end panel. The reverse score facilitates this action of the door portion. At the same time, the support portion 44s remains securely attached to the flaps 49 to maintain the proper parallel relationship of the side panels 42 and 41 (panel 41 not being shown in FIGS. and 6).

FIG. 7 shows the corner detail of an assembly of the box body and cover, together with a stac'x of paper sheets 63 therein. The usual telescope box sealing tape 65 remains intact and the front end of the box is opened according to the present invention to accommodate access to the contents. To open the end of the box to the condition in FIG. 7, it is necessary only to first pull the tab and tear tape of the cover as described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, and sever the bridging strip on the ears 29 at the opposite ends of the cover door 16a. With the cover door 16a open to the position shown in FIG. 7, the upper edge 64 of the box body door 44d is accessible and with one hand near each of the opposite end flaps, a gentle outward pull will be effective to sever the bridging strips 61 (FIG. 5) retaining each of the ears at the opposite ends of the door 44d, whereupon the door can be moved downwardly and outwardly to the position shown in FIG. 7. Any number of sheets of paper can then be removed through the end of the box.

After removing the desired number of sheets of paper, the door 44d can be returned to its initial position in the direction of the arrow 67 and each of the ears 52 will frictionally engage the inside surface of the cover side panel and the outside surface of the body side panel. In the case of the ear 52 shown in FIG. 7, the outer surface of the ear will engagethe inner surface of the cover side panel 13 and the outer surface of the body sidepanel 42. This will serve'to retain the door 44d in a co-planar condition with the door support portion 44s of the end panel 44 until it is desired to again open the box and remove more sheets therefrom. In this way, the contents remain protected even after the box has been opened. Also, when the body door has again been closed, the cover door can be closed, and because it is hinged at the top, the inner surface of the door 16a adjacent the hinge will engage the body door 44d adjacent the upper margin thereof and retain it in the closed condition. It will also serve to keep dust out of the box.

FIGS. 8, 9, and 10 illustrate a second possible embodiment of the box cover. In this embodiment, the front end portion of the cover is formed somewhat diterently from that of the preferred embodiment just described. For example, at the end of the central panel 68, and side panels 69 and 71, two slots 72 and 73 are provided rather than a score line. The end panel 74 remains connected to the central panel 68 by the integral bridging strip 76, and the ap remains connected to the side panel 69 by the bridging strip 77 and the flap 78 remains connectedV to the side panel 71 by the bridging strip 79.

A reverse score 81 extends across the end panel 74 and flaps 75 and 78. A cut 82 extends from the reverse score to the slot 72 and a cut 83 extends from the reverse score 81 to the slot 73, the cuts 82 and 83 being at the opposite ends of the end panel 74. In order to hold the cover end panel 74 and central panel 68 in proper relationship when the cover is set up, a tape 84 is applied over the portions of the slots 72 and 73 which are between the central panel 68 and end panel 7 4.

In order to set up the cover, the bridging strips 77 and 79 must be severed, which can easily be done. Then the flaps 75 and 7S are stapled to fthe side panels 69 and 71, respectively. The tape S4 will retain the end panel' in the condition Vshown in FIG. 9 Which`illustrates a corner detail of the front end of the cover when it is set up. This tape is normally on the outside surface of the cover, but it is omitted from FIG. 9 in order to show the joint at the cover top and front end panels. Aside from the bridging strip 76, the tape is the only thing which holds the door portion 74d of the front panel above the score line to the top panel 63. The support portion 74s of the front end panel 74, being below the score line 81 and integral with the aps 78 and 75, retains the side panels 71 and 69 in Vtheir proper parallel relationship. This it does also after the tape 84 is torn away and the bridging strip 76 severed to allow opening of the door portion 74d as shown in FIG. lO to provide access to the contents of the box. This cover is, of course, used with the same body as was previously described.

From the foregoing description, it can be appreciated that the present invention, while facilitating access to the contents of a telescope type box, retains the shape of the box and continues to protect the contents rthereof even after the end has been opened. Also, it permits reclosing of the box after removal of a part of the contents thereof to provide good security for the remaining contents. This is particularly true of the preferred embodiment. In view of these and other advantages provided by the box of the present invention, it is believed apparent that it achieves the objectives set forth herein as well as providing additional advantages Vnot specically mentioned.

While the invention has been disclosed and described in some detail in the drawings and foregoing description, they are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, as other modications may readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art and within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. A telescope box comprising:V Y

a body having a bottom panel (39)V and parallel side panels (4l-42) and parallel end panels (43-44) joined to said bottom panel, one (44) of said end panels having a reverse score line (51) extending thereacross from one side panel (42) to the other side panel V(41), said score line dividing said one end'paneljnto a support portion (44s) below said enseres score line and a door portion (44d) above said score line, a pair of tlaps (4g-48) integral with the material of said one end panel and joined thereto at score lines, each of said aps having an ear portion (52) dened by a margin (53) of said door portion and ffurther defined by a generally trapezoidal cut (54-S6-57) extending from the end of said reverse score line to a point adjacent a margin (S9) of the ap, the ilap material between said point and said margin constituting an easily severable bridging strip (61) retaining the ear portion (52) as part of the flap (49) until said strip is severed, the severing of said strips at both end ilaps accommodating access to the interior of said body;

and a cover received on said body, said cover having a top panel (il) and parallel side panels (l2-i3) and parallel end panels (I4-16), one of said cover end panels having tabs (36) therein at opposite ends thereof, a pair of cover flaps (t9-2l), one cover flap of said pair joining each end of said one cover end panel and attached to one of said cover side panels, a tear tape extending across said one cover end panel and secured to said tabs, said tabs being adapted to be manually torn from said one cover end panel and said tape being operable when one of said tabs is torn and pulled to sever said one cover end panel into a stationary cover wall portion (16s) and a cover door portion (16a), .-the material of said cover door portion being integral with the material of said top panel (11) and hinged thereto at a score line (33), each of said cover aps having a cover ear portion (29) joining said cover door portion and each cover ear portion being deined by a score line (28a) at the end of said cover door portion and a cut extending from one of said tabs (36) to a point adjacent a margin (31) of the cover flap leaving an easily severable bridging strip (32) maintaining the position of said cover ear in said cover tlap (19) until severed to accommodate outward and upward swinging of said cover door portion, the ears of said body portion being frictionally engaged and retained between the side walls of said cover and said side panels of said body when said door portion (44d) of said body is positioned coplanar with the said support pontion (44s) thereof, and the said door portion of said body being engaged and retained in substantially coplanar relationship with said support portion thereof by the upper portion of said cover door portion (16a) when said cover door portion is returned toward coplanar relationship to said stationary wall portion (16s) of said cover.

2. A telescope box comprising:

a body having a bottom panel and side panels and end panels joined to said bottom panel, one of said end panels having a reverse score line extending thereacross yfrom one side panel to the other side panel, said score line dividing said one end panel into a support portion below said score line and a door porvtion above said score line, a pair of flaps integral with the material of said one end panel and joined thereto at score lines, each of said ilaps having an ear portion defined by a margin of said door portion and lfurther defined by a cut extending Afrom said door portion margin to a point adjacent a margin of the iiap, the tlap material between said point and said ilap margin constituting an easily serverable bridging strip retaining the ear portion as part of the iiap until said strip is severed, the severing of said strips at both end tlaps accommodating the tolding outwardly and downwardly ol said door portion at said reverse score line to accommodate access to the interior of said body;

and a cover received on said body, said cover having a top panel and side panels and end panels, one of said cover end panels having tabs therein at opposite ends thereof, a pair of cover flaps, one cover ap of said pair joining each end of said one cover end panel and attached to one of said cover side panels, a tear tape extending across said one cover end panel and secured to said tab-s, said tabs bein-g adapted to be manually torn from said one cover end panel and said tape being operable when one of said tabs is torn and pulled to sever said one cover end panel into a stationary cover wall portion and a cover door portion, said cover door portion being hinged at said top panel at a score line, each of said cover aps having a cover ear portion joining said cover door portion and each cover ear portion being defined by a score line at the end of said cover door portion and a cut extending from the end of said cover door portion to a point adjacent a margin ot the cover ilap leaving an easily severable bridging strip maintaining the position of said cover ear in said cover iiap until severed to accommodate outward and upward swinging of said cover door portion, the ears of said body portion being frictionally engaged and retained between the side walls of said cover and said side panels of said body when said door portion of said body is positioned coplanar with the said support portion thereof, and the said door portion of said body being engaged and retained in substantially coplanar relationship with said support portion thereof by the upper portion of said cover door portion when said cover door portion is returned toward coplanar relationship to said stationary Wall portion of said cover.

3. A telescope box comprising: l

a body having a bottom panel and side panels and end panels joined to said bottom panel, one of said end panels having a line extending thereacross from one -side panel to the other side panel, said line dividing said one end panel into a support portion below said line and a door portion above said line, a pair of Iilaps integral with the material of said one end panel and joined thereto at score lines, each of said ilaps having an ear portion defined by a margin of said door portion and further dened 'by a out extending from said door portion margin to a point adjacent a margin of the liap, the flap material between said point and said ilap mar-gin constituting an easily severably bridging strip retaining the ear portion as part of the flap until said strip is severed, the severing of ysaid strips at both end flaps accommodating the folding outwardly and downwardly of said door portion at said line to accommodate access to the interior of said body;

and a cover received on said body, said cover having a top panel and side panels and end panels, a pair `of cover flaps, one cover fla-p of said pair joining each end of one of said cover end panels and attached to one of said cover side panels, said one cover end panel being adapted to be manually severed to divide it into a stationary cover wall portion and a cover door portion, each of said cover flaps having a cover ear portion joining said cover door portion and each cover ear portion being defined by an end of said cover door portion and a cnt extending from the end of said cover door portion .to a point adjacent a margin of the cover ilap leaving an easily severable bridging strip maintaining the position of said cover ear in said cover flap until severed to accommodate outvward and upward swinging of said cover door portion.

4. ln a telescope box a body comprising:

a bottom panel and side panels and end panels joined to said bottom panel, one of said end panels hav-ing a reverse score line extending thereacross from one side panel to the other side panel, said score line di viding said one end panel into a support portion below said score line and a door portion above said score line, a pair of iiaps integral with the material of said one end panel and joined thereto at score lines, each of said flaps having an ear portion dened by aY margin of said door portion and further defined by .a cut extend-ing lfrom said door portion margin to a point adjacent a margin o the ilap, the ap material between said point and said flap margin constituting an easily severable bridging strip retaining the ear portion as part of the ilap until said strip is severed, the severing of said strips at both end aps accommodating the folding outwardly and downwardly of said door portion at said reverse score line to accommodate access to the interior of said body.

In a telescope box, a cover comprising:

a top panel and side panels and end panels, said cover having a tab therein, a pair of cover ilaps, one cover ap of said pair joining each end of said one cover end panel and attached to one of said cover side panels, a tear tape extending across said one cover end panel and secured to said tab, said tab being adapted to be manually torn from said cover and said tape being operable when said tab is torn and pulled to sever said one cover end panel and divide said one cover end panel into a stationary cover Wall portion and a cover door portion, each of said cover aps having a cover ear portion joining said cover door portion and each cover ear portion being defined by an end of said cover door portion and a cut extending from the end of said cover door portion to a point adjacent amargin of the cover ap leaving an easily severable bridging strip maintaining the position of said cover ear in said cover ap until severed to accommodate outward and upward swinging of said cover door portion.

A telescope box comprising:

a body having side panels and end panels, one of said end panels having flaps at each end thereof, each of said iiaps having a main portion overlapping and secured to part of one of said side panels, and each of said aps having an ear in an upper porti-on thereof which is joined to the other portion lor the lap by an integral connection, each ear joining and supported by said one end panel and separable from the other portion of a flap by severing said integral'connection, a score extending across said one end panel from a lower margin of one of said ears to the lower margin of the other of said ears and dening a door in said one end panel, said door being swingable downwardly and outwardly, when said connections are severed from said aps, to accommodate access to the interior of said body;

and a cover having side panels and end panels, one

of said cover end panels including a door portion extending acrosssaid cover and disposed in face-to-face relationship to the said door of said body when said cover is received on said body, said cover door portion being initially retained in closed position by a second integral Vseverable connectionY and movable to an Vopen position, ,when said second connection is severed, to accommodate the downward and outward swinging of said door of said body and thereby facilitate removal of contents from said box without removing said cover from said body.

7. A box as set forth in claim 6 and further comprising a tear tape engaging said second connection and tab means connectedV to said tape for pulling said tape to sever said l second connection.

8. A telescope box comprising:

a body having side panels and end panels, one of said end panels having a score extending thereacross above the lower margin thereof, said score defining a door in said one end panel, said door being swingable downwardly and outwardly to permit access to the interior of said body;

and a covertelescopically received on said body and Vhaving side panels and end panels, one of said cover end panels including a door portion extending across said Vcover and disposed in face-to-face relationship to the said door of said body when said cover is received on said body, said cover door portion being initially retained in closed position by separable means, and said cover door portion being movable to an open position when said separable means are separated, to accommodate the downward and outward swinging of said door of said body and thereby facilitate removal of contents from said box without removing said cover from said body.

9. A telescope box comprising:

Ya body having side panels and end panels, one of said end panels having a score therein, said score defining a .door in said one end panel, said door being swingable outwardly to permit access to the interior of said body;

and a cover telescopically received on said body and having side panels and end panels, one of said cover end panels including a'door portion disposed in face-to-face relationship to the said door of said body Lwhen said cover is received on said body, said cover door portion being initially retained in closed position by separable means, and said cover door portion beingV movable to an open position when said separable means are separated, to accommodate the outward swinging of said door of said body and thereby facilitate removal of contents from said box without removing said cover from said body.

References Cited by the Examiner UNlTED 'STATES PATENTS 55 FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner. 

1. A TELESCOPE BOX COMPRISING; A BODY HAVING A BOTTOM PANEL (39) AND PARALLEL SIDE PANELS (41-42) AND PARALLEL END PANELS (43-44) JOINED TO SAID BOTTOM PANEL, ONE (44) OF SAID END PANELS HAVING A REVERSE SCORE LINE (51) EXTENDING THEREACROSS FROM ONE SIDE PANEL (42) TO THE OTHER SIDE PANEL (41), SAID SCORE LINE DIVIDING SAID ONE END PANEL INTO A SUPPORT PORTION (44S) BELOW SAID SCORE LINE AND A DOOR PORTION (44D) ABOVE SAID SCORE LINE, A PAIR OF FLAPS (49-48) INTEGRAL WITH THE MATERAIL OF SAID ONE END PANEL AND JOINED THERETO AT SCORE LINES, EACH OF SAID FLAPS HAVING AN EAR PORTION (52) DEFINED BY A MARGIN (53) OF SAID DOOR PORTION AND FURTHER DEFINED BY A GENERALLY TRAPEZOIDAL CUT (54-56-57) EXTENDING FROM THE END OF SAID REVERSE SCORE LINE TO POINT ADJACENT A MARGIN (59) OF THE FLAP, THE FLAP MATERIAL BETWEEN SAID POINT AND SAID MARGIN CONSTITUTING AN EASILY SEVERABLE BRIDGING STRIP (61) RETAINING THE EAR PORTION (52) AS PART OF THE FLAP (49) UNTIL SAID STRIP IS SEVERED, THE SEVERING OF SAID STRIPS AT BOTH END FLAPS ACCOMMODATING ACCESS TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID BODY; 